AT&T and Verizon Wireless Credit Check: Don’t Be Denied This 2020!

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Last Updated on January 22, 2020

Want to apply for cell phone service but your credit isn’t so great?Unfortunately, this can get you into some trouble as most companies will require you to pay a down payment if your credit score is lacking.

Virtually all cell phone providers require a credit check before service is activated, and those with a credit score that fails to meet their internal checks must pay a hefty but refundable deposit.

Here’s a look at both AT&T andVerizon’sapproach to bad credit applications and what you should expect.

Wireless Service with Bad Credit

If you’re looking for solid wireless service with bad or average credit and want to avoid paying a large deposit, many visitors are having success with Prepaid/Pay-as-You-Go Plans.Carriers are now offering 4G LTE pre-paid plans that include unlimited talk & text and start with 1 GB of data for $45 a month.

AT&T Service with Bad Credit

AT&T has the highest initial security deposit, which usually starts at $250 and may go as high as $750.Your deposit will be refunded after 12 months of on-time payments.

With ATT, many people with a credit score in the low- to mid-500’s are approved with a deposit ranging from $100/line, up to $750 total.

If you’ve declared bankruptcy and your score is below 600, you may not be approved at all.On the other hand, some people with a credit score in the mid-500’s received approval with no down payment necessary.

AT&T does offerit GoPhone Pay as You Go plans, designed for people with bad credit.It has no contract, no deposit and no credit check necessary.You choose whether you want to pay by the minute, by the day or by the month.(Read our review.)

AT&T in A Nutshell

Security deposit ranges from $250 to $750 for postpaid plans.

Deposit is refunded after 12 on-time payments.

AT&T Pay as You Go plans available with no credit check or deposit.

Credit scores between 500 and 650 may require deposit of $100 per line (up to $750 total).

Verizon Service with Poor Credit

The credit requirements atVerizonare similar to those at AT&T, although their security deposits start at $125 and then go past $400.As with AT&T, your security deposit is refunded after a year.

Two Possible Solutions to Avoid Down Payments

Option #1 – Order Your iPhone Through Apple

Want an iPhone?Many people have reported success by ordering their iPhone through the Apple website — as opposed to starting with AT&T — and then setting up an appointment to pick up the phone at a local Apple Store.With this method you may be able to get your phone service through AT&T with no deposit required.

Option #2 – Go with a Prepaid Plan

Choose a prepaid or pay-as-you-go plan that doesn’t require a credit check.Many companies offer prepaid plans, including Sprint, T-Mobile, AT&T andVerizon, with the ability to chose among a range of smartphones.And, with T-Mobile, AT&T, andVerizonyou can get the latest iPhone and Samsung Galaxy smartphones with their prepaid, no credit check plans.

Additional Resources:

Looking for a Credit Card with Poor Credit?

If you currently have only limited, poor, or average credit, and are looking for a real credit card, we currently recommend theMilestone® Gold Mastercard®.

This is because the Milestone® Gold Mastercard® allows you to see if you’re pre-qualified before you apply for the card – so you don’t have to risk having your credit pulled, only to be denied a card.

The Milestone® card is a Mastercard® which means that it can still be used on Amazon and at millions of merchants around the world.And your application will be considered even if you have a prior bankruptcy.

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The editorial content on this page is not provided by any of the companies mentioned and has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone.

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